engineering, adventure, and balance

Chicago, Illinois

Tonight I’m in the Seattle airport waiting for a flight to Chicago. There’s a familiar feeling sitting with me because really, this whole idea started on my last flight to Chicago. November 15, 2010 I was flying to Chicago for work, representing Glumac at the GreenBuild Conference. My relationship at the time was in shambles, I felt run ragged by my work, and the feeling that there was something more to life than my desk was churning my stomach. It was raining that morning in Portland, watching the drops rush sideways across the airplane window as we accelerated down the runway only amplified the feeling that suddenly my life was going to kick into overdrive.

The trip last November was emotional- I felt devilishly good about my performance at the business conference, conflicted about my business passions, and my life outside, torn by the termination of a relationship, bolstered by the support of my family, and positively inspired by the thought that I could, just possibly, break the cycle of working my tail off for two weeks of vacation a year.

The past 6 months, and the adventures posted on this blog have been a vindication that my dreams were not folly. That the fears I felt then were indeed false events (already realized), and that sometimes the only thing separating us from living our dreams is the self-confidence to believe that we actually can.

Lately I’ve been feeling the weight of a shrinking bank account and uncertainty about how I might next support myself. That said, a few thoughts bolster me into the next great adventure:

I can’t help but look back with some satisfaction at how I’ve spent my time.

I can’t help but look forward to the adventures yet to come.

I can feel my fire for the next professional opportunity growing. Seeing more of the world inspires me to care for it more strongly.

This morning I got to enjoy a delicious breakfast with one of my favorite people and biggest supporters of my wanderlust. I met David while at Northwestern, but we’ve lived in different places for most of our friendship. Conveniently, he is interning in Portland for this summer, while I am conveniently not ever in Portland. Somehow it just fits I would get a chance to see him and ride bikes together before heading back home. David has taught me a number of important lessons about how to roll with the punches and keep having fun, and really- I think that’s probably most of what we need to get through this thing.